558 THE SEDGE EAMILT. 



In moist meadows, and pastures, over the whole of Europe and Russian 

 Asia, except perhaps the extreme north and south. Generally diffused over 

 Britain. Fl. summer, rather early. 



6. Hare's-foot Carex. Carex lagopina, Wahlenb. 

 (C. leporina, Eng. Bot. Suppl. t. 2815.) 



Very near the oval C, but a smaller plant, seldom above 8 or 9 inclies 

 high, forming rather dense tufts, with the leaves about half the height of 

 the stems. Spikelets usually 3 or 4, very close together, of the shape of 

 those of the oval C. but rather smaller, and the nuts, although flat, are not 

 winged as in that species. 



An alpine plant, not unfrequent in northern Europe and Asia, at high 

 latitudes, and in the higher mountain-ranges of central and southern Eu- 

 rope. In Britain, only in a few locahties in the Scotcli Highlands, near 

 Aberdeen. Fl. summer. 



7. Elongated Carex. Carex elongata, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1920.) 



When first flowering this plant has the appearance of tall, luxuiiant 

 specimens of the whitish C, often attaining 2 feet, but the spikelets are 

 browner, and the ripe fruit attains near 2 lines, tapers into a point, and 

 spreads more or less from the axis, projecting far beyond the glumes. The 

 spikelets are longer, narrower, and not near so close as in the oval C, and 

 the fruits are not at all winged. 



In marshes, in central and northern Europe, and northern Asia, from 

 northern Spain and Italy almost to tlie Arctic Circle. Rare in Britam, 

 altliough it has been found m several counties, both of England and Ireland. 

 FL early summer. 



8. Star-headed Carex. Carex stellulata, Gooden. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 806.) 



A tufted species, rarely above 6 or 8 inches high, with the leaves mostly 

 shorter than the stem. Spikelets 3 or 4, at some distance from each other 

 (except sometimes the 2 uppermost), oval-oblong, and about 3 hues long 

 when they first come out ; but as the flowering advances, the long-beaked 

 fruits spread in every du*ection, giving the spikelets a nearly globular form. 

 The male flowers occupy the lower half of the terminal spikelet, and a small 

 portion of the base of the two others. Styles 2-cleft. Fruits about 2 lines 

 long, the edges slightly rough. 



In marshy places, especially in mountain districts, in Europe and Rus- 

 sian Asia, from Spain and Italy to the Arctic regions, and in North 

 America. Frequent m Britain. Fl. spring or early summer. 



9. Whitish Carex. Carex canescens, Linn. 



(C. curta, Eng. Bot. t. 1386.) 



Stems tufted, a foot liigh or rather more, with rather long leaves. Spike- 

 lets 4 to 6, at some distance from each other, or the uppermost closer, 3 or 

 4 Unes long, of a pale green. Fruits not longer than the glumes, rounded 

 at the top, with a small point, not tapering into a beak as in the last 

 three species. Styles 2-cleft. Male flowers generally very few, at the base 

 of most of the spikelets. 



In bogs and marshy places, in noi-thern and Arctic Europe and Asia 



